


Forgive and Forget

by kiterious



Category: Supernatural
Genre: Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-05-29
Updated: 2014-05-29
Packaged: 2018-01-27 01:56:07
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,504
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1710743
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/kiterious/pseuds/kiterious
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p><i>"A lot of people, when they say 'forgive and forget,' they think you completely wash your brain out and forget everything. That is not the concept. What I think is you forgive and you forget so you can transform your experiences, not necessarily forget them but transform them, so that they don't haunt you or handicap you or kill you." -Ishmael Beah</i><br/> </p><p>Gadreel is waiting at the bunker for Sam and Dean to return when an unexpected guest drops by.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Forgive and Forget

Gadreel did not fidget. Such behavior was dangerous in Heaven’s dungeons. Movement of any kind drew attention, and attention drew pain.

Of course, he wasn’t in Heaven’s dungeons anymore. He was in the Winchesters’ bunker waiting for said Winchesters to return.

He would be honoured that they trusted him enough to leave him on his own, if he didn't know that they only did it because they didn't trust him enough to take him with them. 

Still, he didn't mind. Or at least, he wouldn't if they had given him something to do. But they hadn't, and Gadreel didn't fidget, so all he could do was sit perfectly still in the chair they had left him in, muscles not even twitching as he watched the clock and waited for the boys to return.

Of course, there were far worse things to deal with than boredom. He should have known he would not be lucky enough to be left with only that.

"Sam, Dean?" A voice called, snapping Gadreel out of his thoughts. "It’s me."

It was funny how in a matter of moments Gadreel could go from awkward and bored to frozen in terror. Because he recognized that voice. He’d heard it before. He had heard it voicing concerns about Dean and then he'd heard it scream, choking off as the life behind it ended at his hands

"Hope you don’t mind me coming through the wall, the door’s locked and my mom…” The figure stopped halfway through said wall. “Who the hell are you?”

The two stood, staring at each other. Gadreel stared in pure horror, and the strange intruder stared back with a confused frown.

"Kevin?" Gadreel asked finally, his whisper soft voice breaking on the name.

"Do I know you?" the ghost asked in lieu of a reply, still watching the angel with cautious eyes.

 _As he should_ , Gadreel noted bitterly.

"You might, but I doubt you would recognize me. I know you." His tone made it clear that he had no desire to speak any more on the subject. How did one say something like that? _I am the one who stole your life. I_ murdered _you._

"Okay, not suspicious at all," Kevin said slowly, still watching. "Are you a friend of Sam and Dean?"

"You could say that."

"Where are they?" Kevin tried again, trying to get whatever information he could from the tight lipped stranger.

"Out."

The two stared again, Kevin staring closely at the angel as he stared closely at anything that wasn’t Kevin.

"Are you Gadreel?"

The question sent an almost physical shock through the angel in question, muscles visibly clenching as his eyes simultaneously widened and narrowed, breath temporarily sucked out of him as he fought to string together a response.

"How did you-"

"Prophet of the lord," Kevin said almost smugly, enjoying the satisfaction of causing such obvious distress to his killer. It was a little petty, sure. But he was pretty sure he had a right to be petty, all considering.

"That, and you said I wouldn't recognize you. I figured that meant you were possessing a new vessel or something," he added. He wasn't in advanced placement for nothing.

Gadreel fell silent

"...Well? Aren't you gonna say something?" Kevin asked, crossing his arms. This wasn't how he'd pictured his confrontation with his killer. "You  _killed_ me. Where's all the  _'I'm sorry'_ s and the _'I did what I had to'_ s?"

"I know what I did." The angel's answer was soft, resigned. There was a hint of bitterness in his tone too, but it was directed at himself, not Kevin. "And there is nothing I can say to fix that. I _am_ sorry. But It changes nothing."

It was a vastly different answer from the one the newly earth-tethered spirit had heard right before the angel had taken off with Sam's body. And to be honest? This one was more satisfying. The angel didn't try to brush off his death or say it was "for the best" _._ It was a start, at least.

"If you're so sorry, why did you do it?" the ghost asked, arms still crossed.

"I thought-" Gadreel stopped. _I thought it was for a good cause_. But that wasn't true, was it? The least he could do for the boy he'd stolen everything from was give an honest answer.

"I was afraid. Dean wanted to send me away, and I was afraid. I panicked. You were the easiest way out." His voice was heavy with grief, as though this very crime had been weighing on him since the day he'd done it.

No, more than that. It was heavy in a way that only someone with years and years of emotional baggage and guilt could possibly be. Guilt that stretched back beyond any human concept of time.

"I'm sorry," the angel repeated, eyes glued to the floor.

"I can see that," Kevin said, nodding. It was not quite forgiveness, but not condemnation either.

If they'd had this conversatoin when he was still alive, he might have kept arguing. Shouting, cursing, demanding that he get out of his sight and never come back. But being dead really changed your perspective on things, and he figured the angel had already gotten the full treatment from the Winchesters. 

"So what are you doing in the bunker?" he asked instead.

"I came to help," Gadreel answered, instantly easing at the change of topic. This was something he was far more comfortable discussing. "Metatron is... unfit to rule Heaven. I see that now. I left, and came here instead."

"Good," Kevin said, nodding again. "I'm not okay with what you did," he added quickly, noting the angel's confusion. "But... y'know. Help us get rid of Metatron and get my soul into Heaven and we'll talk. Maybe."

Gadreel opened his mouth to speak, probably to make some big speech about how grateful and undeserving he was and a heartfelt vow to do everything in his power to ensure Kevin's safety, but they were interrupted by a knock at the door. 

The two looked up just as a woman's voice shouted  _Kevin?_

"Coming!" Kevin called before turning back to Gadreel. "That's my mom," he explained. "I, uh... can't really open doors like this. Give me a hand? It's the least you can do, since this is kinda your fault."

Again, petty. But again, completely justified.

The angel cringed at the reminder, but he nodded. He stood up and made his way to the door, the slightly translucent teenager trailing after him. He opened the door to reveal a fairly short, fairly impatient looking woman.

"Linda Tran," he greeted politely.

"Who the hell are you?" was the immediate response and the similarities between her and Kevin almost made Gadreel smile.

Until he remembered that he'd killed her son.

His eyes darted away to linger briefly on the stony ground before before he forced them back up to meet hers.

"My name is Gadreel. I-"

He was cut off by Linda Tran's fist connecting with his face. The action was so unexpected Gadreel didn't even have time to dodge or block it, and he felt himself stagger and fall to the ground at the raging woman's feet.

He heard Kevin rush to placate her, assuring her that it was a misunderstanding and that it was actually more Metatron's fault than Gadreel's. Telling her that Gadreel was here to help, to try and redeem himself. Mrs. Tran still didn't sound very pleased, but she was no longer trying to kill him, which was a vast improvement.

After everything had calmed down, Kevin invited her into the bunker. He set her up far away from Gadreel, the angel noted, though he wasn't sure whether it was for her own safety or for Gadreel's. Speaking of...

"You knew she would do that," Gadreel accused, glancing over at the now grinning prophet.

"Yeah, I did. You deserved it," he pointed out.

Gadreel didn't argue.

"What do you say we call it even?" Kevin offered. "This, plus the getting my soul back into Heaven thing. Do that and I'll retract my desire to stab you in the face." He paused. "Er, have you stabbed in the face. I still can't pick up a blade on my own," he explained with a shrug.

"You would forgive me? After what I did to you?" Gadreel asked. Though forgiveness was something he strongly desired, actually receiving it was a foreign concept to him.

"Yeah, maybe. Forgive and forget, right?" he shrugged. "Or at least... move past. As long as you don't do something like that again." He held out a hand. "What do you say?"

Gadreel let his own hand hover next to Kevin's, the closest he could get to actually touching the incorporeal boy.

"Thank you," he said sincerely. "You have my word that I will do everything in my power to stop Metatron, and to earn your forgiveness."

Unfortunately, he would only be able to fulfil the first half of his promise.


End file.
